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It's surprising how quickly weeds and brush can take over a yard. One minute everything looks fine, and the next, your pleasant outdoor space has turned into a wilderness. Clearing an overgrown backyard isn't a one-step process, but a methodical, thorough approach can yield impressive results. Nonselective herbicides destroy most weeds and shrubs, or you can clear a yard without using chemicals if you have plenty of time to spare. When using herbicides, read the product labels carefully and follow the instructions.

How to Destroy Brush

Vigorous shrubs and woody invaders from the wild are among the most difficult plants to eradicate from overgrown yards. Shrubs like tree of heaven (Ailanthusaltissima, USDA zones 4 through 8), Brazilian peppertree (Schinusterebinthifolius, USDA zones 9 through 11) and other woody weeds resprout from their roots, so cutting them down is only a short-term solution. However, herbicides that contain glyphosate, fluazifop or triclopyr can destroy these plants. These brush-killing herbicides are applied to the foliage or to cut stems, depending on the manufacturers' instructions. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, safety goggles and a hat when using strong brush-killing herbicides. Spray on a still, dry day and store herbicides in a place where children and animals have no access.

Foliar applications are most effective when the shrub's leaves are fully open at the end of summer or early in fall. If you're applying a herbicide to cut stems, cut the stems when the shrubs are actively growing and don't delay painting on the herbicide. You may have to wait several weeks to see results because the chemicals take time to move through the plant and into the roots. Don't cut down woody weeds while you're waiting for a herbicide to take effect.

Always wipe the blades of your pruning shears or pruning saw with rubbing alcohol before and after pruning shrubs to help prevent the spread of pests and diseases.

Tip

If your yard contains ornamental shrubs that have become overgrown and unmanageable, try cutting them down to 3 or 4 inches above the ground in early spring and wait several years for them to regrow. Shrubs often regrow into a healthy, natural form.

How to Destroy Weeds

When your yard is overrun with weeds, often the best solution is to clear the lot and start again. Trimming or mowing the weeds is ineffective against grassy weeds and broadleaf weeds that can spread out across the soil surface. Perennial weeds are also a challenge to destroy. Any piece of their roots that's left in the soil can grow into a new plant. To destroy all types of weeds in your yard, spray with a nonselective systemic herbicide like glyphosate. Wear protective clothing and spray on a dry, still day. After the herbicide has taken effect and the weeds are dead through to their roots, remove them.

Warning

Nonselective herbicides are harmful to desirable plants. Protect any plants you wish to keep by covering them with cardboard or newspapers before spraying weedy plants with a herbicide.

How to Clear Weeds and Brush Without Herbicides

Clearing an overgrown yard without resorting to herbicides involves covering up the weeds and brush with mulches. A layer of mulch prevents sunlight from reaching the weeds and suppresses their growth. Some examples of organic mulches are bark chips, sawdust, grass clippings, dead leaves and wood chips. Inorganic mulches include pebbles, sand and gravel, whereas synthetic mulches comprise materials like landscape fabric and other geotextiles. After cutting down brush and weeds to ground level, covering them with a layer of landscape fabric is one of the most effective nonchemical approaches to preventing the plants from sprouting again. Organic mulches can also be effective when spread thickly. Spread a thick-textured organic mulch such as wood chips to a depth of 4 inches and a fine-textured organic mulch like sawdust to a depth of 2 inches. Inorganic mulches give the best weed control when spread over landscape fabric.

Warning

Homemade weed killers like boiling water, bleach and salt are unreliable at controlling weeds and brush and can be dangerous to use.

About the Author

A graduate of Leeds University, Jenny Green completed Master of Arts in English literature in 1998 and has been writing about gardening and homes since 2007. Green's work appears in SFGate, Mom.me, The Pink Plumber and many home services blogs .